Reclining chair



Jan .18, 1949. R. H: ELLSWORTH 2,459,269

RECLINING CHAgER Filed Oct. 12, 1944 V INVENTOR. RALPH H. Exam/0mm Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ralph H. Ellsworth, Willoug-hhmOhio, assignor-to The Wolwin Chair Company, Willoughby, Ohio Applicatiohflctober 12, 1944,-Serial No. 558,320 SClainis. (01. 155-77) This invention relates larly to reclining chairs of the typeiordinarily referred to as lounge'chairs.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a sturdy and comfortable chair that :has a pleasing and attractive appearance.

Another object is to provide a chair of the type mentioned which is noiseless, simple to use and which will be inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects and features :of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description and claims, together with the accompanying drawing, in which like parts are referred to and indicated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure l'TlS a side elevation of a chair embodying the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of a chair frame;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional 'VleW of one side of the chair frame, taken along the lineand in the direction of the arrows 3-.-.3 of the Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the inside .part of the chair frame, partly in section, taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5- 3 of the Figure 2.

A chair made in accordance with this invention consists broadly of two main elements. There is first the stationary base consisting of spaced side elements, and second, the reclineabl-e seat portion pivotally mounted on vthe base elements. Each of these two parts will be described in detail hereinafter and in the order just set forth.

The stationary base H of this chair consists of two pieces of wood, each of which is somewhat U shaped and provided with forward and rearward legs E2. The respective legs of :each of the left and right side base elements are aligned laterally. The base elements have central transverse holes therethrough which are aligned and which receive the individual pivot pins l6 hereinafter described. Each base element also has a convex portion 13 immediately above the aforesaid hole 1 5 which provides lateral support for the chair. The curved top horizontal surface or edge of the convex portion I3 is referred to and indicated herein as the rail portion t4 and is accurately curved around the center of the hole l5. This rail portion 14 also extends forwardly and rearwardly to the two legs 12.

The reclining seat consists of a rectangular frame formed of two pairs of parallel horizontal side rails connected together at their ends by front and rear transverse frame members 26 and to chairs,,,and particupositioning of the nut.

. 2 23'. The two front corners of the rectangular frame have depending legs .28 thereon, as shown in the drawing. These preventthereclineable seat member from tipping too far forward and also enable the chair seat to assume a normal horizontal position when unoccupied. The chair frametal'so has anascending rear back portion 29 and two arm portions connected thereto in a conventional manner. The two bottom side rails 22 areprovided with holes that are aligned with the aforesaid holes 15 in the stationary members and also receive the pivot pins 1 5 heretot ore mentioned.

On the inner sides of the two top rails 23, near the rear portion thereof and directly over the two aforesaid base elements ii, there are mounted two pieces of wood that are referred to herein as channeled portions and which are indicated in the drawing of the character 24. These are attached to the upper rails 23 by means of screws 28 as shown in the Figures 2, 3 and 4. Each channeled portion 24 has a bottom arcuate or concave edge that is slightly above the convex edge of its adjacent rail portion i i. The arcua'te concave portions center at the pivot pin l6, are concentric with and are spaced about one-quarter of an inch from the .arcuately curved rail portions I4. There is absolutely nofriction between nor contactby the two facing edge surfaces. Each of the channeled portions 24 has a depending flange r25 thereon which engages the inner side surface of the adjacent base element l l. The two rear lower corners of each of the channeled members 24 are spaced suficiently above the respective adjacent legs 22 so that the seat memb'er maybe free to tilt rearwardly. as indicated bythe broken lines in the Figures 1 and i of the drawing.

As heretofore stated, the seat members and the base elements are pivotally attached together at the aforesaid aligned holes on both sides of the chair, by means of the pivot pin it. These two pivot pins 15 extend inwardly as is shown in" the Figures 2 and 3 and each is provided with a small washer ['9 which abuts the inner side surface of the respective base element ll. Next, there is mounted on each pin a coil spring ll and a fasten-ing nut 18. The tension of the spring I! may be increased or decreased by the rotation or the However, the tension of the spring I"! should be sufficient to eliminate all unnecessary play between the two base elements I I and the respective adjacent side rails 22 and 23 and so that the flanges 25 of the channeled portions will smoothly engage, without binding,

the top inner side wall surfaces of the convex portions l3 of the base elements, as is indicated in the Figure 3 of the drawing,

The pivot 16 should be positioned nearer to the rear of the frame than to the front; about threequarters of the way back is found to be satisfactory. At this location, it becomes natural and easy for an occupant to tilt the chair to a reclining position and this location of the pivots causes the greater weight of the chair to be forward of the pivot, and thus the chair is retained in its normal or upright position.

Among the many advantages that this chair has over prior art reclining chairs is the feature which makes it practically noiseless. Practically the full weight of the seat member and an occupant is borne by and concentrated at the two ply-1 ot pins, and there are no wood surfaces that rub 4 and frictionally engageable with the said first friction surface, the said lateral portion also having a depending flange adjacent to the said bottom portion and slidably engageable with the said base member, a pivot pin mounted in the aforesaid pivot holes retaining the aforesaid members in alignment, a helical spring laterally mounted on the said pivot pin,-in engagement with the said base member, and a compression adjusting nut mounted on the said pivot pin, co-operating with the said helical spring and capable of varyagainst each other under weight which, under 7 certain atmospheric conditions, become noisy. Furthermore, it has'relatively few moving parts that are likely to wear andget outof order. It needs no lubrication, reduces to a minimum frictional contacts, and eliminates entirely loose parts such as rollers which rattle and oftenfall out of place when the chair is picked up or moved.

Only the preferred form of the invention has been described and illustrated herein. However, it is tobe understood that the embodiment of the invention as set forth is suggestive only and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. Many changes may be made in the arrangement of the elements as shown and described, and other uses may be found for the invention. Thesechanges and modifications should also be considered ascoming within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, without limiting myself to the precise structure illustrated and described, I claim:

1. In a reclining chair, a base member having a first pivot hole therethrough and including a first friction surface perpendicular to the said ing the compression of said helical spring, whereby the degree of frictional engagement between the said first and second frictional surfaces can be regulated.

3. A reclining chair, comprising in combination, a pair of parallel base members, each havingan inner and outer side wall and aligned pivot holes 'therethrough, the said outer side wall including a friction surface perpendicular to the said pivot hole, each of the said base members having an arcuate top edge concentricwith the pivot holes, a seat member including'backand arm portions and including parallel pairs of lower and upper side rails, each of the said side rails having an inner friction surface facing a base member friction surface, the lower side rails havingpivot holes therethrough aligned with'the aforesaid base member pivot holes, the upper side rails having-lateral portions having arcuate bottom edges concentric with the aforesaidarcuate pivot hole and a convex top concentric with the said pivot hole, a seat member having a second pivot hole'therethrough aligned with the aforesaid first pivot hole, said seat member also having a lateral portion having a concave bottom concentric with the convex top and spaced there-.

from and including a second friction surface perpendicular to the said pivot hole and frictionally engageable with the said first friction surface, the said lateral portion also having a depending flange adjacent to the said bottom portion and slidably engageable with the said base member, a pivot pin mounted in the aforesaidpivot holes retaining the aforesaid members in alignment, and adjustable compression means mounted on the said pivot pin for regulating the degree of frictional engagement between the said first and second friction surfaces.

2. In a reclining chair, a base member having a first pivot hole therethrough and including a first friction surface perpendicular to the said pivot hole and a convex top concentric with the said pivot hole, a seat member having a second pivot hole therethrough aligned with the aforesaid first pivot hole, said seat member also having a lateral portion having a concave bottom concentric with the convex top and spaced therefrom and including a second friction surface perpendicular to the said pivot hole top edge of thebase members and spaced therefrom, each of the said bottom edges having a depending flange slideably engageable with an adjacent base member inner side wall, pivot pins mounted in the aligned holes of adjacent base and seat members, and holding the said members in alignment, a helical spring co-axially mounted on each pivot pin, in engagement with the said base members, and acompression adjusting nut mounted on each of the said pivot pins co-'operat-,

ing with the said helical springs and capable of varying the compression of said helical springs, whereby the degree of frictional engagement between the said base and seat member frictional surfaces can be regulated.

RALPH H. ELLSWORTH. 7

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS in the,

Number Name Date 91,469 McMurray -1 June 15, 1869 91,832 Edson 1 June 29, 1869 96,211 Emerson Oct. 26,1869

144,603 Enger Nov. 18, 1873 I 169,228 Best Oct. 26, 1875 2,120,341 Smith June 14, 1938- 2,136,198 Stam Nov .8, 1938 2,142,714 Campbell Jan. 3,1939 2,266,528 Wininger Dec. 16,1941 2,299,538 Goldstein Oct. 20, 1942 2,308,644 Caldemeyer -1 Jan. 19, 1943-- 2,339,953 Schlorman Jan. 25,1944

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Sweden May 26, 1906 

